IGII34 1156 Dedication to Herakles

Dedication to Herakles

IG II³ 4 1156 Date: mid. iv BC

On abacus Timotheos son of Teisias (dedicated this) to Herakles.^[1] On shaft uninscribed space Sanctuary (hieron) of Herakles of (5)the Praxiergidai and of the . . . listed below for whom there is a share (in this): -uschon of Alopeke, Aresandros . . . . . . of Agryle (10)Olympiodoros . . . . . . of Melite . . .

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References:

IG II³ 4 1156 (Translated text) (IG Online)

SEG 49.188

SEG 51.224

Agora XVIII C113

Translation by: Stephen Lambert, Liubov Eliseeva

Images: Agora Excavations - (1)

Monument type: Altar (?)

Original location: A sanctuary of Herakles

Findspot: Agora (Ag. I 1052)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] Textual note: ll. 5-6: κα̣[ὶ θιασωτ]|ῶν τῶνδε̣ ("and of the members of the [thiasos] listed below") Lambert, Horos 14-16, 2000-2003, 79-82 = SEG 51.224. Previous eds. suggested another genos name (cf. Hallof's translation in IG Online). l. 7: S. G. Byrne, Athenian Onomasticon accepts Jameson's restoration [M]uschon, the only name attested in Attica that fits the surviving letters.

This Pentelic marble monument is probably an altar, since there is a circular cutting on top that appears to be for offerings (IG II³ 4). Alternatively, it might be a pillar for a dedication (Agora XVIII). It is broken off on the right side and the bottom and decorated with an upper moulding. The text is carved in stoichedon format. It was discovered in a late Byzantine wall in the Agora, south of the Altar of the Twelve Gods. The text consists of three parts: a dedication (ll. 1-3), the identification of the sanctuary and of the groups associated with the dedication (ll. 4-6), and a list of personal names with demotics (ll. 7-11). The object or sanctuary was jointly set up and/or owned and/or used by two groups. The first was the Praxiergidai, a genos, i.e. a hereditary association connected to a religious cult. Specifically, they were responsible for the statue of Athena on the Acropolis and her peplos (see OR 108 with notes). The second group may have been another genos, but was perhaps more likely a thiasos, i.e. a cult association (on thiasoi of Herakles see IG II² 2345 with notes). All of the Praxiergidai and some members of the other group may have contributed to the dedication, or some members of both groups, the latter being more probable. For more details see S. D. Lambert, Horos 14-16, 2000-2003, 79-80.

The dedicator, Timotheos, has been identified as a nephew of the general Iphikrates of Rhamnous, who is mentioned by Demosthenes 21.62; see B. D. Meritt Hesperia 7, 1938, 92–93. It is unclear how he related to the two named groups.

Added: 24 Jul 2026
Updated: 24 Jul 2026
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ID: AIO_3706